The Rupee opened a tad lower and stay on the defensive on Tuesday, weighed down by weak portfolio flows and higher dollar demand in the non-deliverable forwards market, which traders reckon signals bearish positioning on the currency. The rupee is Asia's worst performing major currency this year. Its downward bias was reinforced last week after it fell past the 90 per dollar mark and hit an all-time low of 90.42. Besides pressure from the NDF market, weakness in foreign portfolio flows also remains a sore spot for the rupee, with analysts saying a turnaround in foreign flows hinges on a breakthrough in U.S.-India trade talks. Foreign investors have net sold $1.3 billion of local stocks so far in December . U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday that Washington is still working on a trade deal. Elsewhere, the dollar index was steady at 99, while most Asian currencies were a tad weaker. A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake in Japan added to the risk-averse mood heading into key central bank policy decisions this week. The yen held steady in early Asian trading after a powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck Japan's northeast overnight, adding to a risk-off mood ahead of several policy decisions from central banks including the Federal Reserve. Against the yen , the U.S. dollar was last flat at 155.885 yen after the quake, which prompted evacuation orders and tsunami warnings that were downgraded to advisories hours later. Nevertheless, markets believe policy easing from the U.S. central bank this week is a near-certainty, with attention turning to the outlook for the year ahead. Fed funds futures are pricing an implied 87% probability of a 25-basis-point cut at the Fed's December 9-10 policy meeting, according to the CME Group's FedWatch tool. The yield on the U.S. 10-year Treasury bond was last trading at 4.168%, down 0.4 basis point from late U.S. levels, to retrace a three-day rise in yields. The Australian dollar was last flat at $0.6626 ahead of the Reserve Bank of Australia's December policy decision due at 0330 GMT, when it is widely expected to keep interest rates on hold. Markets are preparing for a busy week of central bank decisions, anticipating a rate cut from the Federal Reserve at its meeting later this week. The euro stabilised following a selloff in bund markets on Monday, after ECB board member Isabel Schnnabel told Bloomberg News that the European Central Bank's next move may be an interest rate hike, rather than a cut as some expect, but added that it will not happen in the near future. The European common currency was last trading flat at $1.164075. Against the Chinese yuan trading offshore in Hong Kong , the U.S. dollar was last flat at 7.07 yuan. The British pound was last steady at $1.332, while the New Zealand dollar was also unchanged at $0.57755. Oil prices steadied on Tuesday after slipping 2% in the previous session, as market participants kept a close eye on peace talks to end Russia’s war in Ukraine and a looming decision on U.S. interest rates. Brent crude futures were down 2 cents, or 0.03%, to $62.47 a barrel at 0101 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at $58.84, down 4 cents, or 0.07%.......